Mothballing my 670G

Question for those of you that are reporting the false lows, are you experiencing these with the Guardian sensors or the Enlite? I have not had the false low experience with the Guardians, I have most definitely with the Enlite though. Those are garbage.

All that said, the button presses, confirmations, inability to use suspend on low while in AUTO are definitely annoyances.

I’m sticking with my 670g though…

Yes, not near as many as the Enlite which drove me crazy but I think more than my Dexcom G5. I was estatic when I switched from the enlite sensors to Dexcom and wish there was a way to use the Dexcom sensors with the Medtronic 670 although as one of the Medtronic help persons told me the 670 is “NEEDY” for info and interaction with you the pump user (it drives me crazy even with all alarms turned off). I am using at least 3 - 4 times the strips now with the 670 and Guardian sensor used in Auto mode as I used to use with the older Medtronic pump and G5 Dexcom sensors. With the Dexcom some days I went for 24-36 hours without doing a BG while with the guardian I do between 5-8 per day because the pump demands them or I don’t trust the reading.

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Guardians. I found them generally at least as accurate as Dexcom, but overnight they tend to undershoot, particularly as regards Dawn Phenomenon, which was a problem in getting auto mode to respond to the morning rise soon enough. Not so many false lows, as in alerts, though when I did have those they were usually overnight as well, particularly in the first 24 hours of a new sensor.

The current ContourNext meter does have a “bolus” option, but there isn’t a “bolus wizard”; the only options are Preset and Manual.

ETA: Sorry–this was meant as a reply to @mike6275

there are tons of negatives re: the 670G. I don’t think I’ll ever want one.

Items listed on the pro side, #4 and #5, are pretty iffy, given how little I’d trust the sensors, and that’s not just me coming from Enlites–it’s from the many complaints about false lows and stupidly-slow corrections for high bgs, made by “automode”.

Dr.BB,
Sorry you didn’t have a satisfactory trial. Thanks for all the info. I guess I’m a brainwashed Medtronic user because I had fairly good results with the Enlites. The Guardian 3s are very persnickety but seem to be pretty accurate. I changed from using my abdomen to my upper thighs and do find improved accuracy even on day one.
The first few months I was really ready to throw it in the garbage, but things have really improved and my control has really improved. My A1Cs were always good 5.2 - 5.9 but it was a terror train rollercoaster between 310 - 40. Now I’m in range at least 86% of the time and last A1C was 5.6.
I found peace with my pump and CGM. It seems that with the 670, it’s either a love or hate relationship.
The really cool thing where I used to work is we could try different loaner pumps and CGMS no charge through our Medical department. I could schedule even my training to be done at work. I knew I had it made in the shade and postponed my retirement because of that diabetic program but now it’ll be like everyone else: read, research, plop my money down, and hope for the best.
Too darn bad we can’t lease a pump and CGM for 6 months and if we hate it, send it back and get something we prefer. Good thing I’m happy with my choice although the menu truly sucks and the sensor change process can be really annoying.

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If you don’t need the alarms, consider using a FreeStyle Libre instead of a Dexcom. I have, and I find the Libre to be much better, for a couple of reasons. I hated the Dexcom alarms. And in more than four years as a Dexcom user, only one order was shipped without my having to make follow-up telephone calls to find out where my supplies were. Dexcom even failed to ship my initial order, because – they admitted – its computer automatically cancelled my order – without telling me – when paperwork from my doctor allegedly didn’t arrive on time. The Libre sensors can be purchased at Walgreens and elsewhere, and they are so much less expensive than Dexcom sensors that I am now paying for them myself, willingly, until I can work up enough energy to get my insurance to pay for them.

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I’m the opposite regarding Dexcom alarms. The alarms only go off when I need to pay attention to a blood sugar Excursion either up or down. I don’t get the annoying false low alarms that the enlites used to give me constantly. My whole reason for wearing a CGM is to have accurate and constant glucose monitoring that alarms me when it needs to

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I hear ya. Here is my story with a similar conclusion - I have been Looping for the last 1½ yrs, with a 7 year old 523 and G5. While the system worked ok, I personally got completely burnt out of all carb counting, device carrying, device charging etc etc. From having had only a Paradigm Veo + Freestyle libre and still getting Hba1c of 5,8-6,2, I ended up carrying an old pump (insecurity), a rileylink, an iphone and usually an apple watch, whereof all of them, except for pump required charging. If I would miss to enter carbs the sugar would sky rocket and it took a while before Loop would bring it down.

So, two weeks ago, I disconnected from everything and put on an omnipod that I had collecting dust and my G5 via the iphone, just to test. The outcome is more or less the same as with Loop, if not better. Maybe because I’m more aware of what I’m eating now that I don’t have a system doing the cover-up for me. But still, I need to carry a phone, which has also contributed to me getting a tech-burn-out.

So now, I have asked my doc to prescribe a 640G with enlites, which will, hopefully make it possible for me to live with a pump only, i.e. taking away the need for a phone to control the sugar.
I completely disliked the 640G due to the size, the screen orientation and complete user unfriendliness when it comes to menus and commands, which is the reason I kept the Veo. But then again, it is still the best package if you want to have a low sugar guard plus cgm plus no other thing to carry.
So now I’m waiting. Loop is good, if you have the patience and discipline. For me it just got too much and I got obsessed with following the readings and fine tuning. And all of that to bring the range from 5,8-6,2 to 5,7-5,9. Not worth it.

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Can I ask why you didn’t go with the Tandem Tslim:X2?
I currently have a 530G and just went through the process of deciding between the 670G and the tslim:x2 last week. Ultimately I went with the tslim:x2 after hearing the same issues about Medtronic sensors being discussed as I did with the Enlite sensors for the 530G.
I also like that the tslim:x2 is user upgradable, that was the final straw that broke me from Medtronic.

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That was what attracted me too, though my hope was that, when Tandem came along with a Dexcom-integrated looping system, it would just require a software upgrade–it seems like more of a software than a hardware functionality. But apparently that’s not the case. Still, it’s a really great feature and fa-a-a-a-a-ar overdue in the industry as a whole. One big obstacle for me was the reports that it was prone to false occlusion alarms. I went through that with another pump and it was a scarring experience. Also read some complaints about the reservoir filling process, which seemed rather finicky. But probably the biggest problem was that they took forever getting back to me after I called to express my interest, wanting to talk to an expert and maybe get a demo. By the time they finally called, I had already met with my MT rep, had an hour-and-a-half in-person sit down, went over the pump and the charts of real data from people using the 670G etc. and decided to go with it.

I’m curious what those “same issues” would be. Accuracy-wise, at least, the Guardian sensors are miles away from the Enlites. I still prefer Dexcom for other reasons, as I think I mentioned in my OP, but in terms of accuracy they are at least as good as the G5. I also found they were far less prone to drop-outs than my G5s were.

@DrBB - Both the Basal-IQ (formerly PLGS) and the Control-IQ (formerly HCL) are both expected to be remote downloadable software updates available for the Tandem t:slim X2 pump. At this time, there are no hardware changes expected to be required for the X2 for these updates.

The Basal-IQ will suspend the basal when the BG is predicted to be low and will then turn the basal back on when the BG begins to rise. This is expected to be approved and released this Summer of 2018. Tandem has already stated this will be available for download to all X2 users at no additional cost.

The Control-IQ will increase insulin when BG levels are above the high threshold. This is expected to be available in 2019 although nothing has been stated either way regarding cost.

We already applied the Dexcom integration to our Tandem X2. It was very simple. Just plug the Tandem into the computer with a USB and the Tandem update program applies the update. A couple minutes later, we have the cgm integration. It was as simple as could be. There was no additional charge associated with the Dexcom cgm integration update. This update did not involve the cgm data allowing any control over the insulin delivery but only brings the Dexcom cgm data onto the pump. In this sense, the pump becomes a receiver replacement but no sort of looping or control functionality. That is what the next two updates will be bringing, the Basal-IQ and Control-IQ updates.

In terms of the cartridge fill on the Tandem, I think one of the biggest issues is that it is different from the Animas. I believe many people have switched from Animas to Tandem and the cartridge fill is quite a bit different. Initially it seemed not as easy. But to a certain degree, easy is what you are used to. We have been using the Tandem for some time now and at this point, the cartridge fill seems quite easy and a non-issue.

With regard to occlusions, we get them very rarely. Could be once a month if that?

We liked the Animas Ping. However now that we have been using the Tandem t:slim X2 for some time, we are happy with the Tandem.

I go to a Dr. office who seems to be led around by people from Medtronic and at my last appointment the Dr even told me Medtronic is disappointed with this latest pump. My A1c has gone up with this pump. I unlike you cant switch back as I traded in getting new one. We can only hope for recall and I doubt that will happen

that is super unfortunate, Brad. From all that I’ve read about the 6xx series, I’m hoping that my 551 will keep on chugging along for a long, long time, OR that if it dies past it’s warranty (dec 2018) I can get Medicare to pay for another 5xx pump.

I was researching it over a year ago so I can’t remember the source, but somewhere I encountered the info that the loop capability was going to require the next generation of hardware, not just software. That was apparently erroneous–it surprised me at the time–and it might have made a big difference in my decision if I’d had the correct info. But the main problem was not the technical specs but the fact that I couldn’t get anyone at Tandem to get back to me, whereas MedT was all over me to set up a hands-on meeting at a place convenient to my office, etc. etc. Some people complain about their customer svc but I’ve always found them very responsive, and the unresponsiveness from Tandem was discouraging. They did point me to their interface simulator, and of course you can find a lot of answers online yourself, but it’s easy to miss (or misunderstand, obviously!) technical aspects of a device this complex, and there are a lot of issues that only occur to you when you’re sitting with a rep and have the device in your hands.

Anyway, really glad it’s working so well for you.

Was it possible that it was slightly longer in the past that you read the article/source?

An older report was maybe talking about the original t:slim vs the current X2 model?

Dunno if you participate on any of the Facebook user groups for the 670, but the reactions do seem to split widely between ecstatic and frustrated, without a lot in between. My hope is that as other contenders enter this space MdT will feel the pressure to improve the software, and maybe offer us some kind of affordable upgrade.

With the rapid pace of advancement starting to hit even this recalcitrant backwater of the technological market, it is really really really high time that firmware upgrades should not require replacing the whole damned device.

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Hard to say without spending a lot of time tracking down the source. It was definitely in the context of the online upgrade capability, which was what they were touting with the release of the X2.

I’ve never heard of a company being disappointed (at least not publicly) with their own product! One exception and a really, REALLY bad product that gave a black eye to a company was Keurig’s Kold Brewer. What a fiasco that was.

Perhaps if MM truly is sorry for their latest pump, they will revamp the next version’s UI…drastically.

I really dislike my 670G and quit the auto mode a long time ago as it kept pushing me too low no matter what I tried. I was also abandoned by the educator midway through the trial, so much of what I tried was based on comments made here. I really really can’t stand all of the scrolling and alarms either. I work in the operating room and I can’t always stop what I’m doing to cancel the annoying and embarrassing alarms. So many clicks!!! Also I miss so many blouses because I think I’ve given it just to get an alarm that it timed out and did not administer the bolus. The only things I like about it are the suspend before lows and the change set reminder. But even with that, the reminder gets later and later if you depend on it for changes. I do like the G5 much better than the Enlite. One more thing about the upgrade was that I was charged $1,000 for the sensor transmitter that I thought was included as part of the pump upgrade. Go figure. I really wish I wasn’t stuck with this pump. I dislike this pump so much that I would like to just try to pay cash for a different pump and cgm if I could get the insurance to pay for the sensors and infusion sets. They are just so expensive.

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